Kingsley Club – Changes to #4

[Chris_Hufnagel]

As Jud mentioned in the #9 thread, the Kingsley Club is also in the middle of adding a new back tee to #4.

This description is from Tim Bert's "A Fan's Photo Tribute to the Kingsley Club"...

#4 is a par 4
411 from the Gold tee
385 from the Blue tee

The 4th hole makes its way back somewhat parallel to #3, though it is a straighter hole.  Straighter when it comes to lack of left or right dogleg that is.  It can't be called straight vertically, as it is a roller coaster from tee to green (okay, I should really save this statement for the 17th.)  The fairway on this hole is funtastic!!  The tee shot is somewhat blind, because of the humps and the native grass.  Hitting all you've got will most likely leave you with a blind approach from the bottom of one of the many valleys.  Depending upon your comfort with a longer approach, less club off the tee might be the proper order.  If you lay back, you will be rewarded with a clearer view of the approach and the green.  There is plenty of room left off this tee.  I know, I was there twice.  While the left is spacious, it isn't really preferable.  You won't get a good look at the putting surface from over there.  Hopefully, you were paying attention when you passed by from the 2nd green to the 3rd tee...

There is one final deep down and up right in front of this monstrous green - the second consecutive hole with a green of epic proportions.  This one is a little less oddly shaped than #3, but it is challenging nonetheless.  There is a rather large hump or spine that runs through the middle of the green, making it important to hit the front or the rear - wherever the pin is that day.

#4 is another really good hole in the impressive opening stretch at Kingsley.

The new tee is behind and to the right (as you are looking back) from the existing tee complex and almost directly behind #6 green and the large rock that sits in the open space.

In the image below, you can clearly see the tree clearing that has taken place to date.  I also believe there are some plans to enlarge the fairway and pulling it back towards that tee in the future.  My measurements in using Google Earth show the new hole measuring close to 430 yards from the new tee and the angle into the fairway is significantly different.

I love #4 (almost as much as #3!) and think the new tee will create a much tougher hole now by putting a driver into many player's hands and forcing them to better manage the left fairway bunker and the humps/bumps of one of the most rumpled fairways at the Club...

Here is the image...

[JC Jones]

This is really a cool tee box and it allows for the longer hitter to have to put driver back in play.  Though George F will still be able to play his high butter cut and have it land softly on the flat spot in the middle of the fairway.

[George Freeman]

This is really a cool tee box and it allows for the longer hitter to have to put driver back in play.  Though George F will still be able to play his high butter cut and have it land softly on the flat spot in the middle of the fairway.

JC - you saw 50% of my successful attempts to find "position A" on that roller coaster fairway.  I think I'm 2/20 all time.  It's not an easy spot to find, especially with my accuracy deficiencies!

[JC Jones]

Sandbagger!!

I still maintain that the preferred line of play is #3 fairway.  I have made more pars from #3 fairway than any other number.

[George Freeman]

As stated on another thread, I think this new tee will be a great addition to the hole.  I really like the idea of getting a glimpse of the pin from the tee, and then having it go out of sight, back into sight, out of sight, etc. as you walk the hole.

Plus I would imagine the undulations of the fairway will play quite differently from this angle, which will add a lot of variety to the hole.  And finally, it will be interesting to hit longer irons into that massive green, which is one of the best on the course IMO.

[Jud_T]

Being the lazy sloth that I am, I failed to wander down to the new teeing area last time up to check it out.  Is the fairway completely blind from there or does one have a partial view up the left side?

[Sean Leary]

Being the lazy sloth that I am, I failed to wander down to the new teeing area last time up to check it out.  Is the fairway completely blind from there or does one have a partial view up the left side?

Plus the obvious flowus interruptus from that tee....I generally prefer doglegs anyway.

[Andrew Lewis]

Being the lazy sloth that I am, I failed to wander down to the new teeing area last time up to check it out.  Is the fairway completely blind from there or does one have a partial view up the left side?

Jud -

You can see through the saddle on the left side of the fairway through to the green -- along the yellow line in the photo Chris posted.  The diagonal ridge blocks out the bowl on the right, and the short-left dune blocks out the lower left shelf of the fairway.

Best, Andrew

[Mike_DeVries]

The new tee is something that I explored from the beginning and it has a really cool feel from there, looking at the big center ridge from below and having the left face of it on the right of the driving zone.  We didn't build it right away, due to the distance from the 3rd green and its extended walk.  It has been discussed over the years and this spring, Ed said he wanted to start the clearing for it to see if it would be feasible and to provide an alternative angle for everyone to play occasionally and to challenge the big boys a little more for special tournaments.

I don't know how to post a Google Earth image with 2 different lines on it, but the image in Chris's post doesn't go back far enough for the back tee, which will probably be more in the range of 460+ to the center of the green.  At least two other tees will be added on a similar line, one at the big white rock (around 390) and one that is 25-30 yards ahead of that -- these will give the new angle for anyone who wants to try it.

Thanks for the interest!

Mike

[JC Jones]

Mike D,

The more I think about this, the more I like it.  #4 has one of the best greens for receiving a running long iron and I've never had anything more than a 8 or 9 in.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Excitiong times at Kingsley two new tees...wonderful, forever trying to improve what is already a modrern classic.
This particular tee will surely enhance the hole which at times is very difficult to figure out where to put the tee shot.
Very often the only real option is to lay up off the tee to avoid either the bunker on the right or being down in the dumps to the left.
I thuik this new tee will actually give the good player a fairer landing zone to hit into.
It will make the second shot longer for sure , but I feel play more into the natural roll of the green terrain in giving the player more options of shots to play itno the green from farther back.